Index card holder

ABSTRACT

A rolling index card holder comprises a plurality of cradle-like sectors which include opposing faceted side walls extending from a core sector. The faceted side walls provide a means for supporting the holder and the sectors are hinged together so that the card holder may be opened to provide convenient access to all of the index cards within the device. Preferably, the holder is molded from a standard plastic material with the hinges between the adjacent sectors being formed of a thinner-gauge plastic. In a second embodiment, the sectors are separably hinged together so that the sectors may be in an open position or a closed position or separated from one another.

V Mute 11 States atem 11 1 1111 3,854,589 Saltz Dec. 17, 1974 INDEX CARD HOLDER 3,253,871 5/1966 Karper /68.6 3,261,649 7/1966 Erickson et al.... 40/72 X [75] Inventor: Ira l 3,261,649 7/1966 Erickson et al 40 68.6 'x [73 Assigneez Oxford Pendaflex Corporation 3,594,057 7/l97l Moore 1 312/266 Garden y, 3,756,421 9/1973 WllklnS .7 211/177 Filed: Jan. 11, 1973 Primary ExaminerJames T. McCall [21] Appl No: 322,625 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Darby & Darby [63] (ljgglinglatiill-ingp lai o i s l Sept A rolling index card holder comprises a plurality of cradle-like sectors which include opposing faceted 7 side walls extending from a core sector. The faceted [52] Cl "238315 37 31 side walls provide a means for supporting the holder Int Cl Bd and the sectors are hinged together so that the card "5 1 352 283 holder may be opened to provide convenient access to 7 21"; 5 46 220723 4 all of the index cards within the device. Preferably, the 4 C E 40 f 11 49 1 f holder is moldedfrom a standard plastic material with a 172 Y the hinges between the adjacent sectors being formed 1 ofathinner-gauge plastic. [56] References Cited In a second embodiment, the sectors are separably UNITED STATES PATENTS hinged together so that the sectors may be in an open position or a closed position or separated from one l,l2l,597 l2/l9l4 Heckman 220/4 B another 1,288.342 12/1918 Wigginton 312/183 x 3,078 l32 2/1963 Stanton et a] 16/171 X 8 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures 24 2O IO Related U.S. Application Data' A [5 7] ABSTRACT INDEX CARD HOLDER This is a continuation-in-part of my copending US. patent application, Ser. No. 183,131, which was filed in the United States Patent Office on Sept. 23, 1970, now US. Pat. No. 3,710,487

The present invention relates to a holding device for index cards or the like.

Rolling index card holders generally include a spoollike construction on which the cards are mounted so that they extend radially from the axis or core of the spool. The spool is rotatably supported within a base construction and the user has access to any of the cards within the file by rotating the entire spool.

The present invention relates to the foregoing type of index card holder. It is generally simpler and less expensive than prior constructions of this nature. It may be used as a rolling holder, in which only a limited number of the stored cards are accessible to the user at any one time, or it may be used in such a way that all of the index cards stored within the holder are readily accessible to the user. The invention thus provides a relatively simple and inexpensive construction which provides specific advantages over known constructions and thus has increased utility.

Briefly, in accordance with the invention, one embodiment of my index card holder comprises at least two cradle-like sectors, each having two faceted side walls extending from the end of a core section and terminating end walls which extend radially from the core sector. Adjacent end walls of contiguous sectors are hinged together and latching means are provided to detachably secure the free end walls of the sectors together. A card-mounting rail extends from one end wall to the other in each of the sectors for mounting the index cards.

The index holder described briefly above is of the two position type. It may be either in a closed position when the card holder is not in use resulting in an endless or continuous arrangement of the sectors making up the card holder or in an open position when in use resulting in a linear arrangement of the sectors of the card holder. Although the two position index card holder is satisfactory, there are situations in which it is advantageous to separate the various sectors which comprise the card holder from one another in order to permit separate work on each of the sectors making up the card holder to be performed simultaneously. In rolling index cards heretofore available, it was necessary to remove from the holder the index cards or group of cards on which separate work was to be performed simultaneously.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a rolling card index holder comprising a plurality of sectors which may be arranged either in a closed position or in an open or linear position and, in addition, which may be separated from one another.

The second embodiment of my index card holder is essentially the same as the first embodiment of my invention described briefly above. However, the second embodiment of my invention has a separable hinge mechanism.

Both embodiments of my invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an index card holder according to the invention in its closed or rolling" condition;

FIG. 2 is a side-sectional view along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing the card holder partially opened;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line 4-4 showing how the individual index cards are retained on the card-mounting rails;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cardholder according to the invention in its open condition in which all of the stored cards are accessible;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an index card holder according to the invention in its closed condition;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view, partly broken away, of the clousure connection betwen two sectors of the holder illustrated in FIG. 6, taken along the line 77;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the hinge connection between two sectors of the holder illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the hinge connection illustrated in FIG. 8 as the connection is being separated;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view, partly broken away, of the hinge connection illustrated in FIG. 9 along the line l0-l0; and

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of two separated sectors of the holder illustrated in FIG. 6.

The construction and operation of the invention is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5. The holder, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, includes three cradle-like sectors A, B and C which are essentially identical. Each of the sectors includes parallel, faceted side walls 10 and 12 extending from opposite ends of a rounded core sector 14, and end walls 18 and 20 which extend radially from core sector 14 between the ends of the side walls 10 and 12.

In the first embodiment, the faceted side walls 10 and 12 terminate in respective transverse ledges 22 and 24 to provide a stable supporting structure for the device.

Each cradle sector further includes a pair of cardmounting rails 26 which are T-shaped in cross section and which extend between the end walls 18 and 20. The index cards, shown at 28, include cooperating T- shaped slots 30 which permit the individual cards to be readily inserted on, or removed from, the mounting rails 26. The construction of rails 26 and their cooperation with the complementary slots 30 of index cards 28 is standard.

According to the invention, the cradle sector A is hingedly connected to sector B and sector B is hingedly connected to sector C. In the first embodiment, the device as described is molded of a plastic material (polypropylene) and the hinges may comprise integral thinner-gauge plastic flaps 34 and 36 which join the outer extremities and engage the outer end edges of the adjacent end walls 18 and 20 of sectors A and B and of sectors B and C. The techniques for molding these relatively thin hinges 34 and 36 are well known in the plastic arts.

A latching means is provided to secure the free end walls of sectors A and C together when it is desired to use the device as a rolling holder. In the first embodiment, this latching means comprises magnets 40 and 42 secured within suitable indentations (not numbered) within the respective end walls 18 (of sector A) and 20 (of sector C).

The manner in which the invention is used should be apparent from the foregoing description. When the hinged sectors A, B and C are closed (FIG. 1) the user may turn the entire device to any position in which the holder can rest on a pair of corresponding flat surfaces of ledges 22 and 24. If the user of the tile desires access to all of the stored cards, the latched end walls 18 and 20 of sectors A and C are pulled apart manually (recesses 44 and 46 being provided to facilitate separation of sectors A and C) and the three sectors are opened as illustrated in FIG. 5.

' In F IGs. 6-11 which illustrate a second embodiment of my invention, the primed numerals and letters designate elements which are the same as the elements in FIGS. 1-5 which are designated by corresponding unprimed numerals. The description and discussion of the elements in FIGS. 1-5 are equally applicable to the corresponding elements in FIGS. 6-11, unless otherwise noted.

Referring now to FIG. 6, in the second embodiment of the index card holder the integral hinges 34 and 36 which are present in the first embodiment of the index card holder are dispensed with and replaced by a separable hinge mechanism generally designated 29.

The hinge mechanism 29 consists of a lug 32 projecting outwardly from each end of wall 18 of sector C and end wall 20 of sector A. Each lug 32 consists of a bearing surface 34 and a pin portion 36, projecting outwardly from the bearing surface 34, as best illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Each lug 32 is adapted to fit within a slot 40 formed on each end of opposing side walls 11 of sector B. FIG. 11 illustrates two slots 40 which are formed on each end of faceted side wall 11. The opposing side wall 11 of sector B, although not illustrated, is the same. The longitudinal axis along the slots 40 forms an angle with the horizontal plane when the sector B' is in the open position illustrated in FIG. 6. The reason for this is explained below. The position of the slot 40 through which the longitudinal axis passes will be designated the slot horizontal portion 40A. At the extremity of slot horizontal portion 40A closest to the center of side wall 11, the slot 40 angles sharply toward the faceted portion of the side wall 11. This portion of the slot 40 will be designated the slot vertical portion 408. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the slot vertical portion 408 forms an angle of approximately seventy degrees with the slot horizontal portion 40A. The slot vertical portion 403 extends from the slot horizontal portion 40A to the faceted end of side wall 11 and through a portion of the ledges 42, as best illustrated in FIG. 6.

A chamfer 44 is formed on the end of the faceted side walls 13 of sectors C and A which is most adjacent to the lugs 32. This is best illustrated in FIG. 8 and 1 l with respect to sector C.

The second embodiment of my index card holder is illustrated in a closed position in FIG. 6. This index card holder may also be placed in an open position to provide a linear arrangement of the sectors A, B and C as discussed above with respect to the first embodiment and as illustrated in FIG. 5. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 10, it is noted that pin 36 can pivot within slot 40 so that sector C can be rotated in a clockwise position (from the position illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8) to the linear arrangement illustrated in FIG. 5. Sector A would operate in a similar manner but would be rotated counterclockwise. The chamfer 44 on the faceted side Walls 13 of sectors A and C is sufficient so that the side walls 13 clear the protrusions 33 during rotation of sectors C and A. The protrusions 33 in side walls 13 are formed about the outer end extremity of slot horizontal portion 40A.

The sectors A, B and C of index card holder illustrated in FIG. 6 may be also completely separated as illustrated in FIG. 1 1 with respect to sectors B and C. In order to accomplish this, sector C' is rotated in a clockwise position (from the position illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8) to the position illustrated in FIG. 9. It is noted that in this position, the chamfer 44 is parallel the slot horizontal portion 40A. Then, sector C is moved toward the left (in the direction of the arrow marked D) so that the lug 32 moves from the extreme end of slot horizontal portion 40A adjacent protrusion 33 to the position in which the lug 32 is illustrated in dotted lines. Sector C is moved to the left until pin 36 of lug 32 enters the slot vertical portion 40B. Then, sector C is guided downwardly so that the pin portion 36 of lug 32 travels down the slot vertical portion 40B and sector C is separated from sector B. Sector A is separated from sector B in the same manner except that sector A is initially rotated in a counterclockwise direction (with respect to the position illustrated in FIG. 6) and it is moved to the right until the pin 36 enters the slot vertical portion 40B.

A feature of the hinge mechanism 29 of the second embodiment of my index card holder is that the various sectors A, B and C can be opened from the closed position illustrated in FIG. 6 and positioned in a linear array without the various sectors separating. When the sectors are hinged together in a linear array the slot horizontal portion 40A angles upwardly. This is illustrated in FIG. 11, although the sectors depicted there are separated. Since the slot angles upwardly in this position, there is no danger of the sectors slipping apart. In order to separate the sectors, the lugs on one sector must be guided through the slots on sector B by the user. The upward inclination of the slots 40 which is illustrated in FIG. 11 prevents the inadvertent separating of the sectors when they are being used in the open or linear position.

FIG. 7 illustrates the closure means 50 between end walls 18 of sectors A and C. The closure means 50 consists of a flexible head portion 52 projecting outwardly from wall 18 of sector A and a slot 54 in wall 20 of sector C into which the head portion 52 is adapted to fit. In order to separate walls 20 of sectors A and c, the laterally extending upper and lower portions of head 52 are squeezed together so that the flattened head portion can be pushed through the slot 54.

There are many possible variations of the basic invention. The number of sectors employed and the number of facets may vary within wide limits. Presently, the illustrated embodiments of the invention are deemed to be optimal since it provides a satisfactory number of usable positions (i.e. nine) and the configuration provides a self-stabilizing feature by virtue of the weight of the cards. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, when the holder is resting on the center facets of the B sector, the index cards 28 within sectors B and B tend to hang straight down and the weight of the cards in sectors A and A and C and C are balanced. Obviously, the greater the number of facets, the greater the number of possible positions; however, on the other hand, stability of the device decreases as the number of facets increases. The bottom of the cards must not extend beyond the ledges 22 and 22' and 24 and 42 and, for this reason, it may not be practical to use triangular sectors, particularly if there are only three sectors.

What is claimed is:

1. An index card holder comprising at least a first cradle-like sector and a second cradle-like sector, each of said sectors being open ended and having a first faceted side wall and a second faceted side wall, a core sector extending between said side walls, a first end wall and a second end wall extending radially from said core sector, each of said side walls having at least one flat surface, the flat surfaces of opposing side walls being aligned to provide a supporting surface for the card holder; means for detachably and hingedly connecting said sectors at the outermost ends of their adjacent end walls whereby said sectors may be in a closed position, resulting in an endless arrangement of said sectors, and alternatively, whereby said sectors may be in an open position, resulting in a linear arrangement of said sectors; and alternatively, whereby said sectors may be separated from one another into a detached position, each of said sectors being open ended in said open position, said closed position and said detached position, said means for detachably and hingedly connecting said sectors being integral with said sectors, a card mounting rail extending from said first end wall to said second end wall in said first and second sectors.

2. An index card holder according to claim 1, further including latching means for securing the unconnected end walls of said cradle-like sectors together.

3. An index card holder according to claim 1, said means for detachably and hingedly connecting comprising a pin member projecting outwardly from each end of said first sector first end wall, said second sector side walls each having a slot formed therein, each said second sector side wall slot extending from a point on said second sector side wall directly adjacent said pin member defining said second sector side wall outermost end, towards the center of said second sector side wall.

4. An index card holder according to claim 3, each said second sector side wall slot having a horizontal portion, said slot horizontal portion forming an angle with the horizontal plane when said second sector is in an open position.

5. An index card holder according to claim 4, each said second sector side wall slot having a vertical portion, said slot vertical portion being angularly positioned with respect to and communicating with said slot horizontal portion, said pin member being adapted to enter into and exit from said slot horizontal portion through the passageway defined by said slot vertical portion.

6. An index card holder comprising first, second and third cradle-like sectors, each of said sectors being open ended and having first and second faceted side walls, first and second end walls extending radially from said core sector, each of said side walls having at least one flat surface, the flat surface of opposing side walls being aligned to provide a supporting surface for the card holder, means for detachably and hingedly connecting said sectors at the outermost ends of their adjacent end walls whereby said sectors may be in a closed position, resulting in an endless arrangement of said sectors, and alternatively, whereby said sectors may be in an open position, resulting in a linear arrangement of said sectors, and alternatively, whereby said sectors may be separated from one another into a detached position, each of said sectors being open ended in said open position, said closed position and said detached position, said means for detachably and hingedly connecting said sectors being integral with said sectors, a card mounting rail extending from said first end wall to said second end wall in said first and second sectors, said means for detachably and hingedly connecting including a pin member projecting outwardly from each end of said first sector first end wall and said third sector first end wall, said second sector side walls each having first and second slots formed therein, each said second sector side wall first slot extending from a point on said second sector side wall directly adjacent said first sector first end wall, defining said second sector side wall first outermost end, towards the center of said second sector side wall, each said second sector side wall second slot extending from a point on said second side wall directly adjacent said third sector first end wall, defining said second sector side wall second outermost end, towards the center of said second sector side wall.

7. An index card holder according to claim 6, each said second sector side wall slot having a horizontal portion, said slot horizontal portion forming an angle with the horizontal plane when said second sector is in an open position.

8. An index card holder according to claim 7, each said second sector side wall slot having a vertical portion, said slot vertical portion being angularly positioned with respect to and communicating with said slot horizontal portion, said pin member being adapted to enter into and exit from said slot horizontal portion through the passageway defined by said slot vertical portion. 

1. An index card holder comprising at least a first cradle-like sector and a second cradle-like sector, each of said sectors being open ended and having a first faceted side walL and a second faceted side wall, a core sector extending between said side walls, a first end wall and a second end wall extending radially from said core sector, each of said side walls having at least one flat surface, the flat surfaces of opposing side walls being aligned to provide a supporting surface for the card holder; means for detachably and hingedly connecting said sectors at the outermost ends of their adjacent end walls whereby said sectors may be in a closed position, resulting in an endless arrangement of said sectors, and alternatively, whereby said sectors may be in an open position, resulting in a linear arrangement of said sectors; and alternatively, whereby said sectors may be separated from one another into a detached position, each of said sectors being open ended in said open position, said closed position and said detached position, said means for detachably and hingedly connecting said sectors being integral with said sectors, a card mounting rail extending from said first end wall to said second end wall in said first and second sectors.
 2. An index card holder according to claim 1, further including latching means for securing the unconnected end walls of said cradle-like sectors together.
 3. An index card holder according to claim 1, said means for detachably and hingedly connecting comprising a pin member projecting outwardly from each end of said first sector first end wall, said second sector side walls each having a slot formed therein, each said second sector side wall slot extending from a point on said second sector side wall directly adjacent said pin member defining said second sector side wall outermost end, towards the center of said second sector side wall.
 4. An index card holder according to claim 3, each said second sector side wall slot having a horizontal portion, said slot horizontal portion forming an angle with the horizontal plane when said second sector is in an open position.
 5. An index card holder according to claim 4, each said second sector side wall slot having a vertical portion, said slot vertical portion being angularly positioned with respect to and communicating with said slot horizontal portion, said pin member being adapted to enter into and exit from said slot horizontal portion through the passageway defined by said slot vertical portion.
 6. An index card holder comprising firt, second and third cradle-like sectors, each of said sectors being open ended and having first and second faceted side walls, first and second end walls extending radially from said core sector, each of said side walls having at least one flat surface, the flat surface of opposing side walls being aligned to provide a supporting surface for the card holder, means for detachably and hingedly connecting said sectors at the outermost ends of their adjacent end walls whereby said sectors may be in a closed position, resulting in an endless arrangement of said sectors, and alternatively, whereby said sectors may be in an open position, resulting in a linear arrangement of said sectors, and alternatively, whereby said sectors may be separated from one another into a detached position, each of said sectors being open ended in said open position, said closed position and said detached position, said means for detachably and hingedly connecting said sectors being integral with said sectors, a card mounting rail extending from said first end wall to said second end wall in said first and second sectors, said means for detachably and hingedly connecting including a pin member projecting outwardly from each end of said first sector first end wall and said third sector first end wall, said second sector side walls each having first and second slots formed therein, each said second sector side wall first slot extending from a point on said second sector side wall directly adjacent said first sector first end wall, defining said second sector side wall first outermost end, towards the center of said second sector side wall, each sAid second sector side wall second slot extending from a point on said second side wall directly adjacent said third sector first end wall, defining said second sector side wall second outermost end, towards the center of said second sector side wall.
 7. An index card holder according to claim 6, each said second sector side wall slot having a horizontal portion, said slot horizontal portion forming an angle with the horizontal plane when said second sector is in an open position.
 8. An index card holder according to claim 7, each said second sector side wall slot having a vertical portion, said slot vertical portion being angularly positioned with respect to and communicating with said slot horizontal portion, said pin member being adapted to enter into and exit from said slot horizontal portion through the passageway defined by said slot vertical portion. 